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Waking up is hard to do, but it's easier with NPR's Morning Edition. Hosts Renée Montagne and Steve Inskeep present the day's stories and news to radio listeners on the go. While they are out traveling, David Greene can be heard as regular substitute host. Matt McCleskey and the WAMU news team bring the latest news from the Washington Metro area. Jerry Edwards keeps an eye on the daily commute. Morning Edition provides news in context, airs thoughtful ideas and commentary, and reviews important new music, books, and events in the arts. All with voices and sounds that invite listeners to experience the stories.

Monday, December 10, 2012

In the Supreme Court's Affordable Care Act ruling this summer, it decided that states' plans for expansion of the Medicaid program should be optional. That led governors to ask if they could expand the program in part but still receive federal funding. The administration has said no.

President Vladimir Putin's decision to sack his defense minister has created widespread speculation about his motives. The defense minister was embroiled in a scandal, but analysts say Putin's decision may point to a larger battle over the future of Russia's military.

President Obama and congressional Republicans have been trying to negotiate a deal to avert the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff." But what happens Jan. 1 if no agreement is reached? Some experts say not much will happen — at least not immediately.

The bill would bar contracts requiring employees to pay union dues as a condition of employment. The proposed right-to-work law has infuriated union leaders in a state considered the heart of the union movement. Michigan's Legislature is expected to pass the bill Tuesday.

The Justice Department is expected to announce Tuesday that it has settled a money laundering case against HSBC. The British bank announced early Tuesday it has agreed to pay $1.9 billion to settle allegations of money laundering.

Congress and President Obama have yet to reach a budget deal, despite an impending deadline. It's just the latest episode that has caused folks in Washington to reflect that it wasn't always this difficult to make deals inside the beltway. Renee Montagne talks to former Missouri Senator John Danforth about his experience in past budget negotiations, and what lessons they offer for today's discussions.

Despite some high profile executives like Marissa Mayer at Yahoo and Virginia Rometty at IBM, women still hold very few CEO jobs — only about about 20 in the Fortune 500. The latest research indicates women have made practically no progress over the past several years ascending to the top slots, or getting on corporate boards.

Syrian officials deny having a chemical stockpile and insist they would never use it if they did. But a Syrian general, who defected earlier this year, confirms the chemical stockpile. He knows where the chemicals are stored, and he says rebel groups have been close to the stockpiles in and around Aleppo.

A Massachusetts-based company called A123 Systems could be purchased by a Chinese firm, if a bankruptcy judge signs off on the deal. A123 makes batteries for electric cars, among other things. Before it declared bankruptcy, the company got a lot of federal stimulus money.

Republicans and Democrats are locked in a battle over how to cut spending and raise revenue to avoid the "fiscal cliff." This could mean meddling with tax deductions. For the next two weeks, Morning Edition is taking a closer look at individual deductions and tax credits that might be on the chopping block.

Local police in the town of Mildura are urging motorists to use anything but Apple maps after the app led drivers, not to their town, but 43 miles away to a remote desert. Experts say if you do live in a major city, Apple maps should work just fine.

The United States has added one of Syria's main rebel groups to its list of terrorist organizations. Jabhat al-Nusra has claimed responsibility for several bombings that killed and wounded Syrian civilians since the uprising against the Assad government began in March of 2011. The U.S. describes the group as an outgrowth of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Pianist, classical music scholar and thinker Charles Rosen died in New York Sunday at age 85 following a battle with cancer. A prolific author, essayist and Guggenheim Award winner, Rosen published two staple books on classical music, 1971's The Classical Style and 1995's The Romantic Generation.

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